Girl Number 9 - a review
It was a much-hyped web event. A quality drama, with well-known actors and writers. Because of its web presence and the past roles of the actors it would have been of interest to people who expected something strange.
So what happened with Girl Number 9?
It was fun to watch, but..
There were so many plot holes. A basement interrogation room with just one entrance? Talk about breaching of fire regulations! Interviews in which an officer was alone with the prisoner, and had a gun? What about the promise from a handcuffed prisoner to prevent the death of someone while still handcuffed, and alone in a locked room? ("Kill yourself", he said to the officer, "and I will save her"). How? Telepathy?
There was also some inappropriate gore. The first victim was ripped apart. There was no plot reason for such a gory death. It diminished the shock of the death of the police officer in the final episode.
Also, the ending was a disappointment. For goodness sake, given the hype and the presentation medium I expected something weird. A plot twist. The whole thing being a "Mission Impossible" style setup to catch the villain. The villain not being real, but some "Tyler Durden" alternate personality of the police officer: Imagine the excitement of an ending in which it turns out that the officer had set everything up, and was found alone, having committed suicide in the locked room.
But it was entertaining. The acting was very good indeed. Tracy Ann Olbermann (Eastenders, Doctor Who) dominated each scene she was in. Gareth David-Lloyd (Ianto Jones from Torchwood) was simply amazing. Joe Absolom (Eastenders) started off pretty well as a Hannibal Lecter-style villain but his characterisation ended up as merely a psychopathic yob, when it could have been more.
So, Girl Number 9 was flawed, but I'll certainly watch something again from the same team.
So what happened with Girl Number 9?
It was fun to watch, but..
There were so many plot holes. A basement interrogation room with just one entrance? Talk about breaching of fire regulations! Interviews in which an officer was alone with the prisoner, and had a gun? What about the promise from a handcuffed prisoner to prevent the death of someone while still handcuffed, and alone in a locked room? ("Kill yourself", he said to the officer, "and I will save her"). How? Telepathy?
There was also some inappropriate gore. The first victim was ripped apart. There was no plot reason for such a gory death. It diminished the shock of the death of the police officer in the final episode.
Also, the ending was a disappointment. For goodness sake, given the hype and the presentation medium I expected something weird. A plot twist. The whole thing being a "Mission Impossible" style setup to catch the villain. The villain not being real, but some "Tyler Durden" alternate personality of the police officer: Imagine the excitement of an ending in which it turns out that the officer had set everything up, and was found alone, having committed suicide in the locked room.
But it was entertaining. The acting was very good indeed. Tracy Ann Olbermann (Eastenders, Doctor Who) dominated each scene she was in. Gareth David-Lloyd (Ianto Jones from Torchwood) was simply amazing. Joe Absolom (Eastenders) started off pretty well as a Hannibal Lecter-style villain but his characterisation ended up as merely a psychopathic yob, when it could have been more.
So, Girl Number 9 was flawed, but I'll certainly watch something again from the same team.